Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1887-11-24
CHEATERS OF TOILERS.
HOW THEY ARE SERVED BY THE
WoMEN'S PROTECTIVE UNIONS.

Some of the Cases Undertaken by the
Organization in New YOrk-How Male
swindIers Are Brought TO Terms-The
Complaints
a pretty, dark eyed girl, with delicate face
which was not less attractive because Of some
traces Of sorrow upon it, entered the Office Of
Working Women's Protective union one day
recently.
Il want to get my money" she said to the
superintendent MADAM land she
gave the name Of fashionable Fifth avenue
dressmaker) owes me SIS for work"
@Oh, yes said the superintendent @We
know that dresSmaker. You are not the first
one TO complain against her"
Then the dark eyed girl told her story.
Her father was an Italian artist in England.
She came to this country with her brother,
and be deserted her. She used her needle to
support herself in various places, and finally
answered the Fifth avenue dressmaker's ad-
vertisement for finisher at SO a week The
dreSsmaker paid her little at time, but
never alf she owed. She wanted the s3S due
her to pay her passage back TO England,
where her father was. The dressmaser told
her that she had spoiled her work, which was
not true, because she had seen the work ac-
cepteS by the customers.
The superintendent, believing the girls
story, opened her batteries on the fashionable
dressmaker by sending her the following:
MADAM -: A complaint against you
has been left at this Office by who alleges
that you owe her s3S which she is unable 70
>elleet. If there is any just cause why she
should not receive this money, You will please
make it personally known to us within three
days, or else we shall be obliged to assume
that your silence is an admission Of the debt,
and 70 place the matter before the court for
collection Yours respectfully,
M. ". FERREn, Superintendent
"We will have that money for you to-mor-
row, L think" said the superintendent to the
girl, and turning 30 the reporter she said:
That madam has refused several times TO
pay similar claims, but has always done so
when they were presented by the union. We
have collected about $500 from her in small
mrns for poor girls. Very little difficulty is
experienced in collecting these claims after
employers thoroughly comprehend that they
have TO deal with a powerful organization,
and not with defenseless working woman"
Against what class of employers do You
receive most complaintsl"
Against dressmakers, l think Why,
Know Of one doing business now who has de-
rauded thirty girls at least, for we have that
many judgments against her. She has a
arge nouse elegantly furnished with turni-
sure obtained on the installment plan, and
that we can't touch till the installments are
paid. She is a very shrewd woman, and has
aIed all her property 30 we cannot get at it.
The female employers, explained the super
ntendent, always cause the union the most
trouble. There is a section of the code where
BY man against whom Judgment has been
obtained for unpaid wages to female en-
?loye, and who has no property in sight to
attach, can be arrested and imprisoned for
ifteen days Necktie makers glove makers
and little manufacturers are continually de-
hauding their girls, but the wise girls who
sake their claims to the union generally get
heir money.
One class Of these swindlers of women, after
70 many operations in one city as to make a
continued residence warm for them, remove
20 another city and begin the same business.
But there are other unions in other cities.
Recently man, well known milliner and
iressmaker in Philadelphia, swindled lots of
his girls and the Philadelphia Women's Pro-
,ective union took proceedings against him.
He picked up his property and came to this
eity. The girls claims were turned over to
Vic uiilOH Dele, dnu JuuShutub WIS ODIdlneu
against him. But the swindler, though very
shrewd, didn't know Of the clause in the code,
and so paid no attention TO the judgment.
When he was told about that clause by an
officer of the law, he whistled, and then paid
the full amount with costs.
No claim is too small for the union to take
up. Suit for twenty-five cents has been
brought several times, and after going
through the usual process the money has
been collected.